Two-for-one twister

ABSTRACT

The capacity of a two-for-one twister is increased by eliminating the cover and utilizing caps on the ends of the bobbin, the diameter of the caps being greater than the diameter of the body of wound yarn, and the lower bobbin cap having a diameter greater than the diameter of the rotor so that the yarn emerging from the spindle and passing through a yarn guide on the rotor makes contact with the outer periphery of the lower bobbin cap during the initial portion of the time required to bring the spindle from rest to the desired rate of rotation.

ited States Patent 1191 Davis Dec. 24, 1974 [54] TWO-FOR-ONE TWISTER2,782,590 2/1957 Lowe 57 5852 2,795,102 6/1957 Brown 57/5872 [75]Inventor: James Dav, Greenvllle, 2,873,570 2/1959 Sage 57/5872 7Assignee; Phillips Fibers Corporation, 3,530,658 9/1970 .lohnson..57/5883 X Greenville, 3,640,060 2/1972 Boyer 57/5884 [22] Filed: May1973 Primary Examiner-John Petrakes [21] Appl. No.: 357,650

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 57/5883, 57/58.49, 57/5884 The capacity f atwo for ene twister is increased by [51] 11117. Cl D0lh 7/86 eliminatingthe cover and utilizing caps on the ends of [58] Fleld of Search57/5849. 58.52, 58.7, h bobbin the diameter f the caps being greater57/5872 5833! 58-84, 58-86 than the diameter of the body of wound yarn,and the lower bobbin cap having a diameter greater than the [56]References cued diameter of the rotor so that the yarn emerging fromUNITED STATES PATENTS the spindle and passing through a yarn guide onthe 2,560,848 7 1951 Cochran 57 5884 rotor makes tact with the outerperiphery of the 2,638,732 5/1953 Sabaton 57/5883 lower bobbin capduring the initial portion of the time 2,715,811 8/1955 Kellogg 57/5884required to bring the spindle from rest to the desired 2,731,786 1/1956Klein 57/58.83 rate of rotation, 2,731,787 1/1956 Marsh 57/58.832,758,437 8/1956 Lattion 57/5883 X 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1TWO-FOR-ONE TWISTER The invention relates to an improved spindleapparatus for introducing true twist into yarn.

The utilization of two-for-one twisters for imparting true twist to yarnis well established. These twisters generally employ a spindle pot orcover to contain the feed yarn and to provide a smooth rubbing surfacefor the yarn during start-up of the spindle and initial formation of theballoon. The use of such covers obviously limits the diameter of thefeed package to sizes smaller than the internal diameter of the cover.Even in those instances where a cover has not been employed, thediameter of the feed package has been limited to sizes which are smallerthan the spindle rotor and the diameter of the spindle rotor is onlyslightly larger than the diameter of the cover, if employed. Thus, thecapacity of such two-for-one twisters has been limited.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved two-for-one twister system which can process feed yarnpackages having significantly larger diameters. Another object of theinvention is to reduce the doffing time per pound of feed yarn in theproduction of the feed yarn packages. Yet another object of theinvention is to reduce the set-up time per pound of yarn processedthrough a two-forone twister. other objects, aspects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from a study of the specification, thedrawings and the appended claims to the invention.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered thatthe foregoing objectives can be achieved by eliminating the cover andutilizing bobbin caps, at least the lower one of which has a diametergreater than the diameter of the rotor so that the yarn emerging fromthe spindle and passing through a yarn guide on the rotor makes contactwith the outer periphery of the lower bobbin cap during the initialportion of the time required to bring the spindle from rest to thedesired rate of rotation.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in cross section, of a two-for-onetwister in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, in cross section, of the spindle and rotorcomponents of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the illustrated coverlesstwo-for-one yarn twister has a support bracket 11 and a spindle l2.Bearing means 13, 14 and 15 are positioned in support bracket 11 tomount spindle 12 for rotation of spindle 12 about its longitudinal axis.The axis of rotation will generally be vertical, but can be inclined atan acute angle to the vertical, generally less than about 30 to thevertical. A belt 16 is passed in frictional contact with the peripheryof pulley 17, mounted on spindle 12 between bearings 14 and 15, toeffect the rotation of spindle 12 about its longitudinal axis. Spindle12 is provided with annular shoulders 18, 19 and 21 which rest onbearings 13, 14 and 15, respectively.

A rotor support hub 22 is secured on spindle 12 at a location aboveshoulder 21 for rotation with spindle 12. A rotor 23 is mounted on hub22 for rotation therewith. The inner ring of bearing 24 is mounted onspindle 12 at a location above hub 22 and is supported by shoulder 25.The stator hub 26 is mounted on the outer ring of bearing 24, and thusis free of the rotative effect of spindle l2 and accordingly does notrotate with the spindle 12. An annular bobbin support plate 27 ismounted on stator 26 and extends outwardly in a plane perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of spindle 12. An annular disc 28 is mounted onhub 26 coaxially with spindle 12 to serve as a stabilizing weight and asa centering means for positioning the yarn package 31 coaxially withspindle 12. The outer diameter of disc 28 is slightly smaller than theinternal diameter of the yarn package 31.

Yarn package 31 comprises a cylindrical bobbin 32, an upper bobbin cap33, a lower bobbin cap 34, and a body 35 of wound yarn. The bobbin 32 issometimes called a tube, pirn, or cop. Bobbin cap 33 comprises anannular flange 36 and a split-ring retention clasp 37. Clasp 37releasably grasps the end of bobbin 32, and is provided with a groove inthe outer periphery thereof to support flange 36. Similarly, bobbin cap34 comprises an annular flange 38 and split-ring retention clasp 39which is releasably secured to the lower end of bobbin 32. Flanges 36and 38 extend radially outwardly from bobbin 32 in respective planeswhich are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of spindle 12.

A yarn tensioning device 41 is mounted on the upper end of tube 42,which is supported by externally threaded sleeve 43 and nut 44 on statorhub 26. Spindle 12 is provided with a yarn passageway 45 extendingaxially downwardly from the upper end thereof to a point adjacent rotor23 and then radially outwardly. A yarn passageway 46 is provided inrotor hub 22 and a yarn guide passageway 47 is provided in a flange 48which extends downwardly from the lower side of rotor 23. As yarn 49 isunwound from the body 35, it passes outwardly and upwardly past theouter periphery of flange 36 and then downwardly through yarn tensioningmeans 4], tube 42 and passageway 45, and then outwardly throughpassageways 46 and 47. The yarn 49 then balloons outwardly as it passesfrom contact with the outer periphery of flange 38 to yarn guide 51positioned above the two-for-one twister and in coaxial alignment withspindle 12.

In accordance with the present invention, the outer diameters of flange38 is greater than the maximum diameter of the body 35 of wound yarn,and is also greater than the maximum diameter of rotor 23 in or abovethe path of the yarn so that the yarn emerging from the yarn passageway45 of spindle l2 and passing through the yarn guide 47 on rotor 23 makescontact with the outer periphery of flange 38 during the initial portionof the time required to bring the spindle 12 from rest up to the desiredrate of rotation about the longitudinal axis of spindle 12. The outerdiameter of flange 36 is significantly greater than the maximum diameterof the body 35 of wound yarn so that the yarn being unwound from theyarn package 31 makes contact with the outer periphery of flange 36before entering yarn tensioning means 41 and yarn passageway 45 duringthe time required to bring spindle 12 from rest up to the desired rateof rotation about the longitudinal axis of spindle l2, and preferablyduring operation at the desired rate of rotation of spindle 12.

In one embodiment the caps 33 and 34 are secured to the bobbin 32 at thetime the body 35 of yarn is wound onto bobbin 35, permitting theformation of a cylindrical body of wound yarn extending from one bobbincap to the other bobbin cap. This provides the maximum amount of yarnfor a given maximum diameter of body 35, a significant increase overtapered packages wound on bobbins not having caps.

Reasonable variations and modifications are possible within the scope ofthe foregoing disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims to theinvention.

That which is claimed is:

l. A coverless two-for-one yarn twister comprising a support bracket, aspindle, means mounting said spindle in said support bracket forrotation about the longitudinal axis of said spindle, a rotor meansmounted on said spindle above said bracket for rotation with saidspindle, said spindle being provided with a yarn passageway extendingaxially from the upper end thereof to a point adjacent said rotor meansand then radially outwardly, said rotor means being provided with yarnguide means, bearing means mounted on said spindle above said rotormeans and having an outer member which does not rotate with saidspindle, bobbin support means mounted on said outer member of saidbearing means and having a bobbin support surface extending outwardly ina plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said spindle, acylindrical bobbin, centering means on said bobbin support means forpositioning said bobbin in a position coaxial with said spindle, a firstannular bobbin cap adjacent the end of said bobbin closest to said rotormeans and extending radially outwardly from said bobbin in a planeperpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said spindle, a secondannular bobbin cap adjacent the other end of said bobbin and extendingradially outwardly from said bobbin in a plane perpendicular to saidlongitudinal axis of said spindle, the diameter of said first and secondbobbin caps being greater than the diameter of the yarn package formedon said bobbin, the diameter of said first bobbin cap beingsignificantly greater than the maximum diameter of said rotor meansabove the path of the yarn so that the yarn emerging from the yarnpassageway of said spindle and passing through said yarn guide means onsaid rotor means makes contact with the outer periphery of said firstbobbin cap during the initial portion of the time required to bring saidspindle from rest to the desired rate of rotation about saidlongitudinal axis, the diameter of said second bobbin cap beingsignificantly greater than the diameter of the yarn package formed onsaid bobbin so that the yarn being unwound from said yarn package andentering the yarn passageway of said spindle makes contact with theouter periphery of said second bobbin cap during the initial portion ofthe time required to bring said spindle from rest to the desired rate ofrotation about said longitudinal axis.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bobbin supportmeans comprises an annular support plate and means for coaxiallymounting said annular support plate on said outer member of said bearingmeans in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said spindle,and wherein said centering means comprising an annular disc have anexternal diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of saidbobbin and means for coaxially mounting said annular disc on said outermember of said bearing means in a plane perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of said spindle.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the diameter of saidsecond bobbin cap is sufficiently great to cause the yarn being unwoundfrom said yarn package and entering the yarn passageway of said spindleto contact the outer periphery of said second bobbin cap duringoperation of said spindle at said desired rate of rotation.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and secondbobbin caps are secured to said bobbin.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein the yarn package formedon said bobbin in a cylindrical body extending from the first bobbin capto said second bobbin cap.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and secondbobbin caps are releasably secured to said bobbin.

1. A coverless two-for-one yarn twister comprising a support bracket, aspindle, means mounting said spindle in said support bracket forrotation about the longitudinal axis of said spindle, a rotor meansmounted on said spindle above said bracket for rotation with saidspindle, said spindle being provided with a yarn passageway extendingaxially from the upper end thereof to a point adjacent said rotor meansand then radially outwardly, said rotor means being provided with yarnguide means, bearing means mounted on said spindle above said rotormeans and having an outer member which does not rotate with saidspindle, bobbin support means mounted on said outer member of saidbearing means and having a bobbin support surface extending outwardly ina plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said spindle, acylindrical bobbin, centering means on said bobbin support means forpositioning said bobbin in a position coaxial with said spindle, a firstannular bobbin cap adjacent the end of said bobbin closest to said rotormeans and extending radially outwardly from said bobbin in a planeperpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said spindle, a secondannular bobbin cap adjacent the other end of said bobbin and extendingradially outwardly from said bobbin in a plane perpendicular to saidlongitudinal axis of said spindle, the diameter of said first and secondbobbin caps being greater than the diameter of the yarn package formedon said bobbin, the diameter of said first bobbin cap beingsignificantly greater than the maximum diameter of said rotor meansabove the path of the yarn so that the yarn emerging from the yarnpassageway of said spindle and passing through said yarn guide means onsaid rotor means makes contact with the outer periphery of said firstbobbin cap during the initial portion of the time required to bring saidspindle from rest to the desired rate of rotation about saidlongitudinal axis, the diameter of said second bobbin cap beingsignificantly greater than the diameter of the yarn package formed onsaid bobbin so that the yarn being unwound from said yarn package andentering the yarn passageway of said spindle makes contact with theouter periphery of said second bobbin cap during the initial portion ofthe time required to bring said spindle from rest to the desired rate ofrotation about said longitudinal axis.
 2. Apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said bobbin support means comprises an annular supportplate and means for coaxially mounting said annular support plate onsaid outer member of said bearing means in a plane perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of said spindle, and wherein said centering meanscomprising an annular disc have an external diameter slightly smallerthan the internal diameter of said bobbin and means for coaxiallymounting said annular disc on said outer member of said bearing means ina plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said spindle. 3.Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the diameter of said secondbobbin cap is sufficiently great to cause the yarn being unwound fromsaid yarn package and entering the yarn passageway of said spindle tocontact the outer periphery of said second bobbin cap during operationof said spindle at said desired rate of rotation.
 4. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second bobbin caps aresecured to said bobbin.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 whereinthe yarn package formed on said bobbin in a cylindrical body extendingfrom the first bobbin cap to said second bobbin cap.
 6. Apparatus inaccordance wIth claim 1 wherein said first and second bobbin caps arereleasably secured to said bobbin.